Westchester May See Traffic, Transit Delays After Metro-North Crash

Commuters board shuttle buses after Friday's train crash near the Fairfield-Bridgeport border. Metro-North will continue bus service between Bridgeport and Stamford while the tracks are being repaired.
Photo Credit: Greg Canuel

comment

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – Westchester residents can expect chaos on highways and rail lines for at least the next week as crews continue to repair damage caused by Friday evening’s train collision in Fairfield County, Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy said Sunday evening.

“There are going to be substantial delays until we get this line back in full service,” Malloy said in a press conference. “Residents should plan for a week’s worth of disruptions. The delays will not be limited to mass transit, as more people get behind the wheel to drive and make their own connections.”

Metro-North warned customers that travel times will be significantly longer and trains will be crowded Monday. Customers should stagger their work schedule or seek alternative means of travel to get to work, Metro-North said.

About 30,000 train commuters are affected by the break in train travel in the Bridgeport-Fairfield area, Malloy said. Those commuters are expected to hit train stations in lower Fairfield County or Westchester County or to travel via Interstate 95 and the parkways to get to work or elsewhere Monday morning.

Connecticut will have 150 buses on the highways as train shuttles, in addition to the normal rush-hour traffic. Malloy also noted that the weather is expected to be wet Monday morning, causing more potential problems.

“If all of those were to get on the highway in single-occupancy cars, we will literally have a parking lot,” Malloy said.

He asked commuters to carpool or work from home if possible for the next week. He also suggested that those who work in New York find places to stay in the city until Metro-North’s New Haven Line is back to full capacity.

For detailed changes in train service on the New Haven Line, visit this
website
.